San Diego, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit
- Police permit required
- Operating hours ban
- 9:30 p.m.-8:30 a.m.
- Hold on pledged goods
- 30 days before resale
- Reporting
- Daily reports to police
Summary
Pawnbrokers in San Diego must hold a police permit before opening, keep detailed loan records open to police inspection, and cannot operate between 9:30 p.m. and 8:30 a.m.
It is unlawful for any person to operate as a secondhand dealer, pawnbroker, or secondhand non-tangible personal property dealer without a police permit.
(Amended 2-23-1987 by O-16812 N.S.) (Retitled from "Use of Fictitious Name Prohibited" to "Permit Required" and amended 11-25-2014 by O-20436 N.S.; effective 12-25-2014.)
Full Breakdown
San Diego Municipal Code § 33.1102 makes it unlawful to operate as a pawnbroker without a police permit. Pawnbrokers must record every loan, borrower name, address, description, amount loaned, loan term, and interest rate, open to police inspection at all times during business hours, and must report acquisitions daily to the Chief of Police on state-approved forms. Pawnbrokers may not transact business between 9:30 p.m. and 8:30 a.m., and cannot dispose of pledged goods for 30 days after reporting them.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a police permit, failing to keep or produce loan records, disposing of pledged goods before the 30-day hold expires, or conducting business during banned hours (9:30 p.m.-8:30 a.m.) is unlawful under Chapter 3, Article 3, Division 11.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a San Diego pawnbroker need a permit?
Can a pawnshop sell a pledged item right away?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Diego
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Pawnbrokers in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Diego County handle pawnbrokers.